Nial AU
by Immortal Spud Thief
Summary: Summary inside. Set after Lost from last season, this will contain all of my oneshots that I write about my AU where Nial stays with Harry and Nikki. M rating for a tiny bit of sex and language sometimes.
1. Chapter 1

**Well these are going to be a collection of my AU universe after Lost from last season where Nial stays with Harry and Nikki, mostly uploading them for deadfairies' viewing because she wanted to read them. And they're not going to be in chronological order because I write these when I feel like it and when I get ideas so they won't be in the right order at all. **

**This first chapter contains smut but not extremely graphic, none of the others contain this much or any at all really.**

**xxx**

* * *

><p>"Well back to my bachelor pad" Harry sighed as Nikki sat down next to him, leaning against the wall behind them. She chuckled and reached over to entwine her hand with his on his knee, glancing around the room and then back at her best friend who had a frown on his face.<p>

"Well not quite" she chuckled as the front door slammed open and a voice called out.

"Harry I'm back"

"Hi Nial" Harry called back and he turned to Nikki, rolling his eyes and making her giggle. The teenager walked up the stairs and dumped his bag on the floor, glancing at Nikki and then at the adult's entwined hands and smirking.

"Hi Nikki"

"Hi Nial" Nikki smiled "Good day at school?"

"It was alright" Nial replied, walking over to the fridge and opening the door "You know if you two want to get it on I can go out tonight"

"What?" Harry asked, glancing at Nikki and seeing her face turn slightly red. He then looked down at their hands and understood what Nial was on about. Nikki quickly took her hand away from his and pushed some of her hair behind her ear as she stood up. "It's not like that"

"I should go" Nikki murmured and Nial looked over at the adults with a frown on his face.

"Do you have to? I need help with my chemistry work" Nial told the blonde pathologist, also seeing Harry looking upset that Nikki was leaving.

"Harry can help"

"Harry sucks at chemistry compared to you" Nial snorted and Nikki giggled, turning to Harry who was trying to look offended.

"Thanks"

"You're welcome" Nial smirked and turned back to Nikki "We can order in?"

"Who made you boss of this place?" Harry asked the teenager and Nikki couldn't help but giggle again, she knew how much her friend enjoyed looking after the young man and how much Nial liked living with Harry.

"Can we?"

"I can cook if you want" Nikki suggested to the men and Nial's eyes lit up.

"Please"

Nikki turned to Harry, glad that Nial wanted her to stay, all she needed was Harry. He smiled at her and nodded, receiving a grin from Nikki that made his heart jump in his chest.

"Good" Nikki smiled, walking over to the fridge to see what Harry had in.

* * *

><p>"Can you teach me?"<p>

Nikki leant back to see past the fridge door and saw Nial looking at her, fiddling with a stray piece of paper nervously, a slight blush on his face.

"I mean you don't have to" the teenager continued and Nikki glanced at Harry over Nial's shoulder, seeing him smirking at her and nodding.

"Okay" Nikki smiled and Nial grinned at her.

* * *

><p>"Mum never used to teach me" Nial told Nikki as they stood in Harry's kitchen preparing the dinner, the older male having been banned from the kitchen after his unhelpful comments about how to cook the mince or the pasta. "She just used to give me a box and a microwave. Who taught you?"<p>

"My mum and my Gran" Nikki replied as she stirred the mince, the teenager cutting up the onion after she had shown him how to do it without it affecting his eyes. "They made sure I knew how to live and be independent"

"I had to be independent" Nial continued quietly, putting the knife down and carrying the chopping board over to Nikki and letting her pour the onion into the mince "But I was the wrong sort of independent I think"

Nikki smiled sadly at the teenager as he took the chopping board from her and placed it by the sink.

"Do you like Harry?"

"Of course I like Harry" Nikki replied, ignoring what Nial meant when he said that "He's my best friend"

"But do you _like_ him?"

"Nial" Nikki sighed, turning the gas down as she looked at the young man "It's complicated"

"He likes you"

"What?"

"Harry likes you, I can tell" Nial smiled and began to tidy up the mess he had made when he had been chopping the vegetables, leaving Nikki to think about what he had just said.

* * *

><p>"So who actually cooked this?" Harry asked as he motioned to his empty plate, a glass of red wine in his hand as he spoke.<p>

"I did" Nikki and Nial replied at the same time before bursting out laughing, Harry rolling his eyes at them .

"Nikki did most of it, I just watched"

"He cut up the veg" Nikki shook her head and Harry smirked at the boy.

"They were the best part" he whispered loudly and pouted as Nikki kicked him under the table, a smirk on her face.

Nial looked from Harry and Nikki and saw their affection as they looked at each other. He wondered why adults had to be so stupid, his parents, he didn't even want to call them his parents, didn't love each other, but Harry and Nikki did but were too stupid to sort themselves out. When he tuned back in the two pathologists were talking about something that they had seen at work and Nial tuned out again, wondering where he was going to go when Harry got bored of him and threw him out like his own father did. Harry hadn't known him for long but he had already been better at looking after him than his own father. Nikki was also a better person than his mother was and Nial had always wished for someone like Nikki to be his mother, someone who was kind and loving and took time to listen and talk to him, to teach him new things and encourage him. He liked it here but he knew he couldn't stay for long.

"Nial are you okay?"

Nial tuned back in again when he heard Harry's voice and turned to see Harry and Nikki looking at him with concern on their faces.

"Yeah I'm fine" Nial forced a smile and drained the rest of his drink from his glass before standing up and gathering the three empty plates together, taking them over to the sink as Harry and Nikki continued their conversation.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes" Nial nodded, glancing at the window and seeing Harry and Nikki's reflections in it. He could see how close they were sitting and knew nothing would happen while he was there. "Can I go to the lab?"

"Why?"

"I need to talk to Zak"

"I'm sure he's gone home by now" Nikki replied, turning on her chair and leaning her arm on the back of it.

"Oh"

"Something you want to talk about?"

"No. I might go out" Nial tried again, desperate to get out. He wanted to repay Harry for his kindness at looking after him.

"Where?"

"A club"

"Nial" Harry sighed and leant back on his chair, eyeing the teenager closely "You're fifteen"

"I can get in"

"You won't"

Nial sighed and shrugged, turning back to the sink and wondering how far it was from Harry's bedroom to the spare room where he was living in for the moment, Harry had cleared it for him and, even though the teenager wouldn't admit it, he had been very moved by it. He didn't really want to have to listen to Harry and Nikki having sex all night, which a part of him prayed they would for both their sakes, and realised that the room was far enough away for him not to hear if he had his iPod or laptop on.

"Do you think there's something wrong with him?" Harry murmured to Nikki as they turned away from the teenage boy who was quite willingly washing up their dinner things.

"No, he's just acclimatising"

"Big word for you" Harry joked and Nikki chuckled "Sure you don't need a lay down"

"Shut up" Nikki laughed quietly and nudged Harry's thigh with her bare foot, not realising that the action made sparks shoot up Harry's body.

"Nikki will you help me with my work?"

Nikki turned to look at Nial who was looking at her with a pleading look on his face, she wondered what he was up to, she didn't think he was the sort of boy who wanted to go to school, let alone do his homework. She relented anyway, hoping that this was a change and he would start taking his schooling seriously. Not that she blamed him really, getting up heaved and moved from home to home wasn't something she had fond memories of either.

"Of course I will"

* * *

><p>"Nikki how can I become a pathologist?"<p>

Nikki looked up from the paper she was reading as she heard Nial's words. She had shown him what to do with his chemistry work and he had understood it very quickly, however the paper had distracted her and she had continued to sit at the table in case the teenager needed help. Nial was a very intelligent boy and Nikki knew if he was given a stable home and a proper schooling then he could be the best at whatever he wanted to be.

"Well you have to have A levels in the sciences, not really physics but it helps, and maybe maths. Then you have to go to uni and study medicine and then specialise in pathology. Why?"

"Well seeing that dead girl" Nial murmured, looking up from his work and frowning "I've never really known what I've wanted to do when I left school; I've never really had anything to aspire to. Mum's jobless and dad's..well you know"

Nikki nodded and gave the teenager her full attention, glad that coming here had given Nial something he needed.

"And I think it would be cool as well" the teenager laughed "Telling people I cut up dead people for a living"

Nikki laughed along with him and nodded, knowing the teenager knew it wasn't all about cutting up dead people.

"That's good. Well work hard and you'll get there"

"You think?"

"I do"

"What happens when I have to move again?" Nial murmured and Nikki sighed, glancing up at the doorway when Harry walked in and leant on the door frame. By the look on his face Nikki knew he had heard Nial's question but he didn't say anything. "You know what" the teenager smiled down at his work, wondering if his plan was working "I know what to do now, I'll go and put some music on in my ro..the spare room and do it. Might stay up late and watch a film"

"Not one of those slasher films?" Harry joked as Nial stood and gathered his work in his arms.

"Maybe. At least I don't wet myself when I watch them" Nial shot back with a smirk on his face making Nikki laugh loudly at the glare Harry shot the teenager.

"He's been spending too much time with you" Harry commented as Nikki stood up and folded the paper up, following Harry quickly into the living room and sitting herself down on the sofa, her best friend sitting next to her with a frown on his face.

"You enjoy looking after him"

"I do" Harry nodded and Nikki smiled, reaching over to entwine their hands again on his leg, Harry squeezing her hand gently.

"You've been good for him; you can see what he's like now"

"I think you're part of that as well" Harry smiled and Nikki chuckled and shook her head "You are. Teaching him to cook, showing him how to do his work. I'm sure no one has ever done that for him in his life. You'll be an excellent mum"

"That's not going to happen Harry" Nikki smiled sadly and shook her head.

"I'm sure it will"

"Harry am I in a stable relationship? Am I anywhere near getting married? Am I..."

"You don't need to get married to have children Nikki" Harry interrupted her as he tugged her closer to him and wrapped one arm around her shoulder, the action so natural to them that they didn't seem to realise what it looked like to an outsider.

"All the same, I think going out and shagging someone to get pregnant is going to be my last choice" Nikki giggled and Harry laughed quietly, leaning down and kissing her temple gently. A large part of him was insanely jealous of thinking of another man being the father of Nikki's children and the same jealous and horrible part of him was praying that it wouldn't happen. He hated himself for it but he couldn't bear Nikki raising someone else's children, however if it made her happy then Harry would try and be happy for her.

"Nikki I..." Harry trailed off when he looked down at his best friend and the woman who held his heart and saw that she was asleep in his arms. Knowing that there was no way he would let her drive home even if she woke up now, he carefully moved and picked Nikki up into his arms, standing up and carrying her to his bedroom. Opening the door he walked over to the bed and gently laid her down, feeling her stir slightly but quickly fall back to sleep as pulled the clean duvet over her and kissed her forehead gently.

Normally if this happened Harry would have been a gentleman and used the spare room but the almost inaudible sound of music reminded Harry that he had a guest who he didn't think would appreciate him sleeping on his floor. Harry wondered if Nial was up to something, he had seemed quite all evening and the older man had seen the teenager looking at him and Nikki with a calculating look on his face a few times that evening. Harry shook it off as typical teenage behaviour, especially this teenager who hadn't had the most stable life lately.

* * *

><p>After brushing his teeth and putting his old clothes on to sleep Harry climbed into bed the furthest away from Nikki as possible. Not because he didn't want to touch her, quite the opposite, but he didn't want her to wake up and get upset or angry because he was cuddled up to her with the remnants of one of his many dreams about them both pressing against her. He turned his back to Nikki and turned his bedside light off, Nikki's quiet breathing lulling him off to sleep quickly.<p>

* * *

><p>The next morning Harry woke with a start when light streamed through a crack in the curtains and straight onto his face. He winced and moaned quietly in protest, his arm around something nice and warm that his body, and evident arousal from his dream, was pressed up against. It was only when said something gave a small moan that Harry snapped his eyes open and realised that he was wrapped around Nikki from behind, their hands entwined on her hip and their legs curled up together. Nikki turned her head slightly, a cute sleepy look on her face that had Harry's heart beating faster than it already was. He had lost count of the times he had wished to wake up next to Nikki but this wasn't really how he had imagined it.<p>

"What time is it?"

Whatever he had imagined Nikki to say it wasn't that and it threw him.

"Um..."

"Try looking at the clock" Nikki giggled sleepily and Harry blushed, turning around to look at the bedside clock and then back at Nikki, neither of them moving out of their position.

"Almost nine o'clock"

"Please tell me it's our day off"

"It's our day off"

Nikki giggled and lay her head back down again, running her free hand through her hair as she did so.

"It is isn't it?"

"Yes it is" Harry assured her and then realised that Nial should be at school now, if he had gone that is, he had trouble going to school in the past days since he had been allowed back. "Nikki I.."

"Why am I in your bed fully clothed?"

"Excuse me?" Harry asked, wondering if he had heard Nikki correctly. She still sounded sleepy and Harry knew from experience that one never had full control over what was said when one had just woken up.

"Why am I in your bed fully clothed?" Nikki enquired, looking up at him with a cute frown on her face, her eyes alive and bright. "And why are you?"

"Because we're not naked"

Nikki rolled her eyes at Harry's witty response and pulled the duvet away from her body, sitting up and running one hand through her hair. Harry was glad that she hadn't said anything about his arousal and he rolled onto his back to hide it under the duvet cover as Nikki stood up and turned to him.

"Shame, that seemed rather impressive" she smirked, her eyes flicking towards his covered crotch before she flounced out of the room leaving Harry to attempt some coherent thought.

'The..she just flounced out of my room' he thought to himself 'After...God I'm in trouble'

* * *

><p>Fifteen minutes later Harry walked into the kitchen to see Nikki standing at the coffee machine, the glorious smell of coffee wafting through the room.<p>

"You should feel honoured" Nikki told him as she turned to him and saw that he was still in his baggy joggers and t-shirt from the night "I never make coffee"

"I feel special now" Harry smirked "Thank you"

"You should do" Nikki chuckled and pulled two mugs out of the cupboard "Nial's gone to school"

"He's what?" Harry asked incredulously as he sat himself down at his kitchen table and ran one hand through his hair "Without a fuss?"

"Hmm, he left a note for us"

Harry tried not to think of how domestic this was, him and Nikki talking about a teenage boy as if he was their own. He then tried not to think of all the domestic time that the three of them had had over the past few days as he picked up the note and read it.

"Wow, I think you've done him some good" Harry told Nikki who smiled as she leant back against the counter behind her and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Good"

"Nikki can we.."

"Look I shouldn't have said what I did back there" Nikki interrupted and Harry knew that she was trying to soften the blow to herself, thinking that she was going to be rejected and hurt again.

"I wasn't going to say that woman" Harry rolled his eyes and Nikki blushed. He then held out his hand to her and Nikki smiled slightly, walking over and letting Harry wrap his hand around her smaller one. "I was going to say I'm sick of dancing around our feelings for each other" he told Nikki in a low voice, neither of them knowing how much the other's heart was pounding in their chests when he said that. "I'm sick of seeing you get hurt by those men when I know I would die before ever hurting you like that"

"Harry.."

"Screw professionalism" Harry interrupted Nikki, pulling her closer to him and wrapping his other arm around her back, hearing her breath hitch and seeing a small smile forming on her face as she ran her free hand through his hair "I want you in my life as my wife"

"Wh.."

"Marry me Nikki"

Nikki didn't have to think twice about the answer, she had waited long enough for them to admit their feelings for each other and they both knew that they were perfect for each other.

"Yes"

Harry beamed at her and Nikki leant down to kiss him, the male pathologist pulling her onto his lap and attempting to deepen the kiss but Nikki pushed him away and shook her head, making Harry frown.

"I need to brush my teeth"

Harry just rolled his eyes at her and let the giggling woman go as she hopped off his lap to go to the bathroom.

* * *

><p>"So..." Harry drew out the word as he pressed small kisses to Nikki's naked chest, both of them laying in bed in the afterglow of their passionate love making, neither of them at all finished with the other after six years of pent up frustration.<p>

"So" Nikki murmured, moving her hands from the pillow and running them through Harry's hair, tugging on it gently and making him moan against her chest. She chuckled and removed one hand, laying it on the bed next to her. Harry then moved away from her and Nikki frowned at the loss of contact from their bodies as he climbed off the bed, gave her a quick kiss and then picked up one of the pieces of clothing that she had been wearing, a smirk on his face. Nikki felt her arousal grow when she saw what it was and licked her lips in anticipation. "I never took you for the kinky type Doctor Cunningham" she chuckled as she propped herself up on her elbows and watched Harry absentmindedly running her dress scarf through his fingers.

"Do you want.."

"Yes" Nikki told him quickly, feeling herself flush slightly when he chuckled at her eagerness "I've never done it before"

"Really? I'd say you were quite talented" Harry smirked as he pushed her down onto her back and kissed her again.

"Harry" Nikki protested, pushing him away slightly and slapping his chest as they both chuckled "I mean being tied up, I've never been with someone who I would trust to do it with"

A look of utter love and adoration passed over Harry's face as he looked down at his lover, running the scarf over her breasts and making Nikki shiver in anticipation, arching her hips into his slightly as she moved up the bed and lay her head on the pillows.

"You trust me enough?" he whispered and Nikki smiled and nodded, running one hand through his hair, the other down his chest.

"I trust you with my life Harry Cunningham, God knows you've saved me enough times" she giggled.

Harry smiled and leant down to kiss her, placing one leg between Nikki's legs and smirking into the kiss when she pressed herself into him and moaned quietly.

"You really are quite needy aren't you?"

"Shut up and make love to me" Nikki told him and Harry chuckled, picking up the scarf and kissing her again as his lover raised her hands above her head and gave him a challenging look.

"I think I'm going to enjoy this" Harry chuckled as he gently and carefully began to tie Nikki's hands together and then to the headboard behind her.

"God you're so beautiful" Harry murmured as he kissed and nibbled at Nikki's thigh, his lover squirming under him as he looked up at her and saw her biting her lip to stop herself from moaning.

"You've told me"

"Not enough" Harry shook his head, stroking her other thigh with his thumb but avoiding the place that she wanted him "Not nearly enough" he whispered against her thigh, smirking when he heard her let out a loud moan, his arousal growing and making him want to take her then and there. He restrained himself however and looked up at Nikki who was looking at him as though he was going to be the next one in the morgue, however her eyes were pleading with him. "Something you want Nikki?"

"Harry please..." Nikki murmured breathlessly as he brushed his thumb over her sensitive centre, already having made her orgasm twice with just his fingers and mouth.

"Please what?"

"Fuck me" Nikki told him, her eyes locking with his as Harry let out an involuntary moan at her words. He kissed her thigh once more before pressing one finger into her and making Nikki whimper and buck her hips into his hand. Harry however them removed his hand from her and moved up her body so he was face to face with her before putting the finger into his mouth and tasting her on it.

"You taste gorgeous. You do realise that I'm addicted now"

Nikki blushed and Harry chuckled, wondering if it was in frustration or embarrassment. However as soon as he ran his arousal over her centre she gasped and arched her hips into his.

"You're very impatient as well aren't you?" Harry commented and Nikki practically growled at him, pulling her hands but the knot that Harry had tied didn't come loose. Instead Nikki quickly wrapped her legs around his waist and leant up to press her lips to his, Harry instantly kissing her back and running one hand through her hair, his other hand slipping down between her legs and teasing her again, making her moan into the kiss.

"Harry please fuck me now" Nikki told him and Harry didn't need telling any more.

* * *

><p>"Harry"<p>

"Hmm?" Harry murmured, turning his head so he could look at Nikki from where he was resting his head on her body.

"We should get dressed, Nial will be home soon"

Harry couldn't help but smile at that and Nikki chuckled.

"What?"

"This domestic thing isn't half bad" Harry told her as he moved away from his lover and kissed her forehead and then her nose and then her mouth, making Nikki giggle.

"Nial thinks you're going to cart him off to someone else"

Harry sighed and shook his head, wondering how a father could treat a son like that.

"We could.." Nikki trailed off and then shook her head as Harry looked back at her "Nothing, don't worry"

"We could what?"

"Nothing" Nikki giggled as Harry moved his hands to her sides, knowing that she was ticklish there. "Harry no"

"Tell me" Harry warned, trying to look threatening but failing as Nikki laughed at him and shook her head.

"No"

"Nicola"

"Mmm, the last time you called me that I had my mouth around your..." Nikki's happy reminiscing was cut off by the front door slamming shut and the sound of a teenage voice calling out for Harry. "Shit"

"Calm down Nikki" Harry chuckled as he let her go, his fiancé climbing off the bed to collect her clothes. He stood up as well and wrapped his arms around his equally naked lover "I love you"

"I love you" Nikki sighed happily as Harry traced random patterns on her hip and stomach "Now let me go so I can get dressed, I don't think you want Nial seeing us like this"

Harry once again marvelled at how domestic and family like Nikki made their situation sound and a grin formed on his face.

* * *

><p>"Hi Nial"<p>

Nial jumped when he heard Nikki's voice and he hid a smirk that threatened to form on his face when he saw that she was in the same clothes that she had been the night before. He was very glad that he had decided to buck up his ideas and go to school.

"Hi Nikki, good day?" he asked innocently as he turned away, still seeing Nikki's slight blush before he did so.

"How was yours?"

"It was good. I think I've started to enjoy it because I know what I want. The teachers have agreed to help me with all the things I've missed or was too lazy to learn" Nial smiled as he turned back to Nikki just in time to see Harry walk into the room, happiness on his face when he glanced at Nikki.

"That's good" Nikki smiled at Nial "You really want to be a pathologist?"

"Yep" Nial nodded and then frowned "Dad was outside school today"

"What did you do?"

"Dodged past him" Nial smirked "It was like bloody Mission:Impossible"

"Language" Nikki murmured but she couldn't help but chuckle at the teenager.

"So did you and Nikki finally have sex?"

Harry quickly turned away from the fridge and Nikki felt her face flush as the teenager looked expectantly at them.

"For your information yes" Harry replied, rolling his eyes and shutting the fridge without getting anything out "Problem?"

"No" Nial grinned "I knew it would happen sooner or later"

"What?" Nikki stuttered and Harry smiled, wrapping one arm around her waist and pressing a kiss to her temple. Nial just shrugged at Nikki's question and grabbed his school bag.

"Actually there's something else" Harry stopped the teenager before he could walk from the room "We're engaged"

Nial smiled at both of them and they could see a hidden sadness in his eyes as he nodded.

"That's brilliant; everyone knew it was bound to happen?"

"Everyone?"

"I got talking to some of the people in the lab" Nial shrugged, slinging his bag over his shoulder "Apparently there's some kind of bet or something about when you two will get together, I dunno"

He then smirked and left the two adults completely shocked in the middle of the kitchen.

* * *

><p>"Nial can I come in?"<p>

Nial looked up from where he was sitting on his bed staring blankly at his maths homework, wondering why Harry was asking permission to come into a room that was in his own home.

"Yeah Harry"

The door opened and Harry walked in, frowning at the still bare room as he did so. He closed the door and then walked over to sit down on the chair by the desk.

"What's wrong?"

"There's nothing wrong?" Nial shrugged, wondering why Harry was frowning at the still bare room.

"Nial, I know we haven't known each other for long but.."

"You know more about me and have cared for me more than my own dad has" Nial interrupted angrily "When are you going to dump me on someone else?"

"Well we've talked about this, Nikki and I" Harry smiled at the teenager, ignoring the angry outburst in favour of looking around the room "We've decided to have a chat with your dad when he crawls out of the gutter next and see if he wants to sign guardianship over to us"

"Like..adoption?" Nial asked in confusion, hope sparking in him when Harry smiled and nodded "You'd.." he looked down at the bed "You'd do that?"

"Of course, I kind of like having you around" Harry smirked and Nial looked up, chuckling at the older man and nodding. "And I think any sort of authority will see that we are a better option for looking after you than your father. However the problem is your mum"

"She doesn't have any hold on me" Nial shook his head, his eyes sad "She signed me over to dad fully so you don't need her to do anything. You'd do this for me?"

"Of course" Harry smiled kindly "Both Nikki and I know what it's like when you've only got one parent left and..."he trailed off and shrugged "Nikki knows more than I do about the remaining parent being...less than savoury"

"How?"

"Talk to her if you want"

* * *

><p>"Nikki?"<p>

"Hi" Nikki smiled as she looked up from her work and saw Nial standing in the doorway of the kitchen shuffling his feet nervously and picking at the strings of his hoodie. "What's wrong?"

"Harry told me that you both want to take me in"

Nikki smiled and leant back on her chair as Nial walked over and sat down on the chair next to her.

"You don't mind?"

"Of course not" Nikki smiled "I know what it's like having a deadbeat dad"

"You do?"

"Yep. After my mother died I was shipped over here to live with my dad who had abandoned us a few years before. He's..difficult and a bastard but.."

"He's your dad"

"Yes" Nikki sighed and nodded, knowing that Nial understood what she had gone through "But he cared for me enough to take me in"

"He didn't even do that for me. He just dumps me on his friends and leaves for weeks on end to get drunk and high" Nial snapped before wincing "Sorry"

"No it's okay" Nikki shook her head, leaning on the table "Do you think he'll let us take you in?"

"I think so"

"Good" Nikki smiled and was shocked when Nial turned and wrapped his arms around her. She quickly hugged him back and smiled down at him, not seeing Harry standing in the doorway watching them with a wistful look on his face.

"You're.."

"I'm what?" Nikki asked Nial as he trailed off and moved away from her slightly, a blush on his cheeks.

"You're more..motherly than mine was" he whispered and Nikki chuckled "She never used to hug me"

"Well I know you're a teenage boy who doesn't really want to do hugging" Nikki laughed "But if you ever do want one I'm here"

"Thank you" Nial whispered and both Harry and Nikki knew that it was for more than just the hugs. "Can you help me with my work?"

"Of course I can" Nikki smiled fondly at the boy as he stood up and walked from the room to get his work, saying hi to Harry as he walked past. "Hi"

"Hi" Harry murmured as he walked into the room and over to his fiancé, entwining her hand with his and bringing it to his mouth to kiss. "You know what we've got to do?"

"No"

"Tell Leo and Janet"

Nikki's face fell and her stomach churned uneasily.


	2. Chapter 2

"Dad you look nervous" Nial stated as he watched Harry straighten his tie for the tenth time that minute. Nial knew, he had counted.

"Really?" Harry asked sarcastically, once again reaching up to touch his tie.

"Leave it alone" Nial told him loudly and Harry jumped slightly, turning to look at the teenager who was lounging on one of the chairs in a smart suit, his tie undone around his neck.

"Nial's right Harry" Leo chuckled from where he was sitting on another one of the chairs, his amusement at Harry's nervousness showing. "You'll be fine"

"What if I mess up or forget what to say or.."

"Dad you're repeating everything the priest says" Nial told his father with roll of his eyes, himself and Leo exchanging amused looks as Harry once again adjusted his tie. "How can you forget?"

"You're not the one with a beautiful woman standing in front of you" Harry murmured and Leo chuckled.

"Now come on Nial" the older pathologist told the teenager who turned to look at him "We've all been there when Harry's been talking and lost himself in the middle of a sentence because Nikki's walked in the room or she's been around"

"True" Nial nodded knowingly and they both turned to Harry when he let out a noise of frustration and turned to look at them.

"You're not helping" he whined and tugged at his tie.

"Leave that alone Harry or I'm strangling you with it" Leo told his younger friend who huffed but let the tie go, instead he ran one hand through his hair and made Nial sigh.

"What if she doesn't want to marry me?"

"What?" Nial scoffed "Harry..dad are you actually in there today? Of course Ni..mum wants to marry you"

"Yes but..."

"Got any ketamine?" Nial asked Leo who hide his loud chuckle behind a cough as Harry continued to talk about things that could go wrong.

"I don't think Nikki would be too pleased with an unconscious, probably dead fiancé"

"I think she'd be rather angry" Nial replied in a deadpan voice and Leo nodded "At least I wouldn't have to listen to them having sex anymore"

Leo stared at the teenager and raised an eyebrow at him causing Nial to laugh loudly and shake his head.

"Don't worry"

"Leo what if..."

Nial sighed loudly and leant his head on the back of the chair, blocking Harry and Leo out as he began to count the tiles on the ceiling.

* * *

><p>"Janet what if Harry doesn't want to marry me?"<p>

"What? Are you silly?" Janet asked as she turned to Nikki who was sitting on one of the stools in the room they were using. "Of course that man wants to marry you"

"But..what if..I don't know.." Nikki murmured and stood up, walking over to the window and staring out over the view they had from the hotel room. She smoothed down her wedding dress nervously and Janet rolled her eyes as he clipped her hair up. "He might not want to"

"Nikki that man has been in love with you for six years now and you've been in love with him for just as long. It's about bloody time you got married" Janet chuckled and Nikki blushed at the accusation, smoothing down her dress as well and making Janet tut at her. The dark skinned woman watched Nikki closely, running her eyes over Nikki's naturally curled hair, some of it held up in a clip at the back of her head, the rest falling freely with some curls falling to frame her face. The white strapless dress that Nikki was wearing was simple but gorgeous, hugging the blonde's figure perfectly around her chest and waist and then flowing down into simple pleats on the bottom half of the dress, some of it trailing on the floor and covering the white sandals that the bride was wearing. Holding her hair up was a Swarovski crystal hairclip in the shape of a butterfly that Harry had got Nikki as a surprise and had given to her the night before when they had said goodbye to each other for the last time before they were married. "Nikki you look beautiful"

Nikki turned away from the window and smiled, tears smarting her eyes as she did so.

"Thank you"

"Now don't get all tearful on me" Janet warned as she walked over and placed her hands on the shorter woman's bare arms, stroking them gently as she spoke. Nikki giggled tearfully and nodded "There will be enough tears from me during the ceremony"

"I can't believe I'm getting married" Nikki whispered and Janet chuckled, smoothing down her own light purple dress as she did so and then noticing that one of her friend's hands was on her stomach, stroking it slightly with her thumb.

"Something you want to tell me?" Janet asked coyly and Nikki frowned.

"What?"

Janet nodded towards Nikki's stomach and the blonde looked down, flushing when she saw what she was doing. She pulled her hand away and smiled up at Janet.

"No-one else knows yet"

"Nikki that's brilliant" Janet beamed and Nikki let out a low breath.

"You don't mind? I mean with you.."

"Ssh, don't start doing that to yourself" Janet interrupted and shook her head, gently pulling Nikki into her arms "You are the one woman that I know who deserves to be a mother and you will _not_ start feeling guilty about it. Understand?"

"Yes" Nikki sniffed, trying to force away her tears as she hugged Janet back.

"Congratulations"

"Thank you" Nikki chuckled as she drew away and reached up to wipe her face, Janet laughing quietly and doing the same thing. "I'm telling Harry later"

"He'll be so happy about it"

Nikki just smiled and nodded, turning when a knock on the door sounded in the room.

"Come in"

"Oh my God Nikki you're beautiful" Annabel, one of Janet's close friends gushed as she walked into the room and Nikki blushed, reaching up to push some of her hair behind her ear like she always did when she was nervous. "Can't you leave Harry and marry me?"

"No" Nikki giggled and Janet rolled her eyes.

"Leave her alone Anna, are the cars here?"

"Yep" Annabel grinned and bounced on the heels of her shoes "Ready?" she asked Nikki who took a deep breath and smiled.

"Very"


	3. Chapter 3

"Hello Mrs Cunningham" Harry murmured as he wrapped his arms around Nikki's waist from behind and ran his hands over the smooth silk of her dress, making Nikki shiver in his arms. "It feels so good calling you that after all this time"

"It feels good hearing it" Nikki whispered her reply, leaning her head back on Harry's chest and looking up at him and away from the view that they had of London at night. They were at the wedding reception and both had slipped away for some time together away from all the well wishers. The formal dinner was over and their first dance as husband and wife had been done half an hour ago, all the guests were well into the party by now but they both knew that they wouldn't be missed for long, not when everyone wanted to buy them drinks and talk to them. "I love you"

"I love you more" Harry told her as he pressed a kiss to her forehead, Nikki closing her eyes and smiling, letting out a contented sigh.

"Not possible, I love you more"

"Have I told you how beautiful you look today?"

"Only about five times, one that you blurted out in front of everyone at the church" Nikki giggled and Harry flushed slightly in the cool air of the balcony that they were standing on.

"Well I had to tell you how stunning you are" Harry told her and Nikki turned in his arms, looping her arms around his neck and leaning up to peck him on the lips before moving away slightly and looking him up and down.

"You're looking rather handsome" Nikki smirked and ran one hand over his cheek, pouting slightly "But no stubble"

"Thought I would look better clean shaven at my wedding and not looking like I'd just crawled out of bed" Harry replied and Nikki pouted.

"You know I like your stubble" Nikki told him "It feels good on my thighs"

Harry quickly looked behind them to make sure no-one was listening and Nikki giggled at him again, flicking her hair out of her eyes and her stomach rolling in anticipation at what she needed to tell her husband. Harry turned back from the closed balcony door where the sound of loud music and laughter could be heard from the rented hall.

"Harry I..."

Nikki was interrupted as the door opened and Anabel poked her head around, by the looks of the grin on her face and the slight redness to her face she was already rather tipsy.

"You two have the entire evening to spend together" she told them with a grin, waggling her eyebrows at them and making Nikki roll her eyes and sigh at the interruption. "Come back to the party Nikki, I need to get you a drink"

"I'm fine" Nikki smiled and Anabel reached forward to grab her hand, pulling her back into the room as the bride sent an apologetic look towards her husband who just smirked and shook his head, following them both quickly into the hall.

* * *

><p>"Have you told Harry yet?" Janet murmured to Nikki as the two of them stood by the corner of the bar, a lemonade in Nikki's hand that she could say had some sort of alcohol in if needed. Janet had had a few drinks but wasn't nearly as tipsy or drunk that Nikki had seen her before.<p>

"No. I was going to but Anabel interrupted us" Nikki replied and Janet rolled her eyes, both of them glancing over at the other woman who was locked in an embrace with one of the older lab techs from the lab. "Do they realise they need to breathe?"

Janet giggled and Nikki laughed loudly, leaning on the bar and glancing around the room for her husband through the crowd of men and women who looked nothing like the smart people they had been in the church earlier. Ties and jackets had been shed and left on the tables and chairs where dinner had taken place, the women had taken off any high heels and were dancing barefoot and their hair that had been immaculate before had fallen out of any styles it had been in. Nikki wondered if she and Janet were the most sober in the room even if Janet was slowly making her way through the bar.

Nikki continued to look through the crowd and then looked at the bar, rolling her eyes as Nial attempted to buy some sort of drink from the barman who was shaking his head. She saw Nial sigh and walk away from the bar.

"Nial"

He looked up and Nikki waved him over, the teenager walked over to her and smiled, hugging her gently and the stepping back.

"What's wrong?" Nikki asked her adopted son.

"He wouldn't serve me without ID" Nial shrugged and Nikki rolled her eyes at Janet, both of them knowing what that had been like when they had been underage teenagers. Nikki turned around just as the barman walked over and he smiled at the bride and her bridesmaid.

"How may I serve you?"

"My son wants a.." Nikki glanced behind her at Nial who started and frowned.

"Um...beer"

"Does he have ID?"

"Do you think I don't know how old my son is?" Nikki asked as she frowned at the barman, Janet and Nial stifling grins as they turned away "And do you really think I'd be encouraging my son to drink if he was underage?"

The barman raised an eyebrow and glanced from Nikki to Nial and then back again, obviously wondering how old Nikki was to have a son who was eighteen, she certainly didn't look old enough but he went along with it, it was her wedding after all and his manager wasn't around.

"Fine" he smiled and nodded "Beer?"

"Please" Nial nodded and the man walked away "Thanks mum"

"You'll be fine for the rest of the night" Nikki told her son who grinned "Just don't get too out of it, it's not fun trust me and don't show me up after I just lied to you"

"I won't" Nial shook his head and gave Nikki a grateful smile before hugging her again.

"Where's your dad?"

"He said to meet you on the balcony" Nial shrugged and Nikki rolled her eyes "I was going to tell you" the teenager told his mother incredulously as she exchanged looks with Janet.

"See you later" Nikki told her friend and Janet nodded, she then turned to Nial as she walked past and the barman came back with his beer. "Be good"

"I will" Nial replied as Nikki walked away "Wait, aren't you paying for this?"

"No" Nikki called back and Nial sighed as Janet laughed at him, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet, mumbling under his breath.

* * *

><p>As soon as Nikki walked onto the balcony Harry grabbed her wrist and pressed her against the wall next to the door, the curtains hiding them from view as he kissed her passionately, his hands on her waist as Nikki wound her hands in her husband's hair, responding eagerly to the kiss.<p>

"Can't wait to get you home tonight" Harry told Nikki as he pulled away from her and his wife grinned at him, moving one hand to stroke his face gently, his other hand staying in his hair. "We can start working on making a baby"

Nikki found herself grinning as her stomach fluttered, glancing towards the doors before turning back to her husband.

"We don't have to. I'm pregnant"

Harry opened his mouth to reply but no sound came out as he flicked his eyes down to her stomach and then back up to her face.

"Really?" he choked out, his eyes glazed over as Nikki bit her lip and nodded, happy tears slipping down her face as Harry wrapped his arms around her and drew her gently into his body, Nikki moving her arms so they were around his neck as Harry buried his face in her neck and whispered 'thank you' over and over again. "How long have you known?" he murmured as he moved away from her but kept his arms around her small body, tears on both their cheeks as Harry smiled happily.

"Over a month" Nikki whispered and Harry frowned "I wanted to make sure before I told you" she continued quickly "I missed one period and I was going to tell you but I couldn't bear to see the look on your face if I wasn't pregnant or something happened. I did some tests and they were positive"

"I understand" Harry smiled, kissing her again "How far along do you think you are?"

"Well I've missed two periods now so probably about ten weeks from what I've counted" Nikki smiled, more tears slipping down her cheeks which Harry wiped away "When I missed the second I thought about telling you but then I realised that our wedding was three weeks away and thought I'd leave it until today to make it even more special"

"We're having a baby" Harry murmured, moving one hand down to her stomach over her dress and stroking it gently, tears slipping down their faces as Nikki nodded. "I never thought..especially us. I'd never thought I'd be a dad"

"And now you're going to be a daddy for the second time soon" Nikki giggled happily and Harry nodded, leaning down to kiss her as he wrapped his arms around her again and pulled her closer to him, their warm bodies pressing together as they blocked out the loud music and voices coming from the hall, to wrapped up in each other to even think about going back to the party.


	4. Chapter 4

**Lets just pretend that Bloodlines happened later than it really did, a little over a year or so after Lost.**

* * *

><p>"Leo" Nikki sobbed out his name as she turned from the foreign detective that she was about to punch and saw the older man walking across the hall towards her. She practically ran towards him and Leo instantly cradled her in his arms as she buried her face in his neck and sobbed loudly, clinging to him as though her life depended on it.<p>

"Ssh" Leo whispered, stroking her hair and kissing the side of her head gently, forcing back his own tears "It's going to be alright I promise"

He looked up and glared at the detective who had started to walk towards them and tightened his grip on the sobbing woman in his arms, running one hand through his hair. The detective stopped walking, sensing that it wouldn't be in his best interests to cross the older man at that time and backed off, glaring back at Leo before turning on his heel and walking away from the two distraught people.

"Come on, let's get you to the hotel" Leo told Nikki who just shook her head, tears falling down her cheeks "Nikki"

"He's..he's...my..."

"Calm down sweetheart, it's not good for the baby" Leo murmured and glanced down at Nikki's six month pregnant stomach, the younger woman placing one hand on it and letting out another sob.

"I don't..." Nikki shook her head again and Leo took her hand in his, taking her bag from her and then leading her towards the other bag that she had dropped.

* * *

><p>"I need to phone Nial" Nikki murmured as she sat curled up on the chair in the hotel room that Leo was staying in. "He can't hear about it on the news"<p>

"Do you want me to do it?"

"No" Nikki shook her head, turning away as more tears slipped down her face which she wiped furiously away. "No he..I...I need..." more tears fell down her cheeks and she let out a loud sob as Leo walked over and wrapped his arms around her, leaning down and pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "He's gone..Leo..what am I going...to...do?"

"You're going to grieve and you're going to.." Leo cleared his throat as Nikki continued to grip at him and cry "You're going to raise that baby that you and Harry created together"

"I can't..not..without...Harry" Nikki sobbed "I..can't...Leo"

"Yes you can because you're brilliant and you're strong and..you will be a brilliant mummy" Leo told her as he rocked her like a child, Nikki gripping at him and shaking her head "Now you need to calm down because you're going to hurt yourself"

"Don't care" Nikki whispered, her voice monotonous and broken as she trembled, staring at the wall next to them. "Don't...care..I want...my...Harry...back"

"You'll have him in the baby" Leo murmured, stroking Nikki's hair away from her damp face "Yours and Harry's baby"

"I need him with..._me_"

Leo didn't say anything and a few minutes later when he looked down at the distraught woman he saw that she had her eyes closed. He moved slightly and when Nikki didn't open her eyes he knew that she was asleep. He turned slightly when Nikki's phone went off and he then looked back at the young woman in his arms, moving slightly and shifting Nikki into his arms, picking up the surprisingly light woman for someone of her stage of pregnancy and carrying her over to the bed. Leo placed her gently on the bed and covered her with the duvet, moving her blonde hair away from her wet face and stroking her cheek gently before moving away to go and check her phone, forcing down his own anger and grief as he knew he had to be strong for Nikki now.

* * *

><p>"Leo why are the curtains closed?"<p>

Leo jumped when he heard Nikki's quiet voice and he turned away from where he had been staring at Nikki's phone and looked up at the young woman who was looking at him, her eyes devoid of any sort of light or happiness that was normally in them.

"I thought you might sleep better with them closed" Leo lied, not wanting to tell the pregnant woman that they were being watched, it wouldn't do her any good to get stressed.

"Liar"

"How are you?" Leo asked, ignoring Nikki's statement as he walked over and crouched next to the bed, Nikki shrugging and sighing quietly.

"I thought it was a nightmare. How long have I been asleep?"

"Two hours"

"Was it real?"

"Yes" Leo sighed and Nikki bit her lip, turning her face into the pillow slightly and closing her eyes. Leo reached up and covered her exposed hand with his own, squeezing it gently as Nikki moved hers so he could hold it properly, stroking her skin gently. "How is the baby?" he asked, trying to keep Nikki's mind away from Harry and on her baby.

"Lively" Nikki smiled, Leo seeing the movement of her other hand moving to her stomach under the duvet. "He's been settling down lately though" she continued "Harry says..." she trailed off and closed her eyes, her smile fading instantly as she let out a quiet sob. "He won't get..to know if...we're having the little girl..that he...wants"

Leo didn't say anything, he just reached over and stroked her hair away from her face and glanced over at her mobile that he had left on his chair.

* * *

><p>Nikki frowned as she wandered into the memorial that Leo had told her to meet him at, wondering why he wanted to meet her here. She placed her hand on her stomach as the baby moved and she couldn't bring herself to smile like the movement normally made her do, she was still numb from the loss of her husband and she just wanted to crawl into bed and ignore everything and everyone. However another part of her wanted to find out who had murdered Harry and she had to bite back a sob when she thought about how he had died. Tears smarted her eyes but she pushed them away, looking around for Leo before walking up the stairs towards a large building at the top, her heart jumping when she saw him walking out of a doorway. He opened his mouth to say something but Nikki's eyes were trained behind him. Leo looked behind him as Nikki shook her head, taking in a sharp breath as she turned around and went to make her way down the stairs again, her throat having closed up. The next thing she felt was one arm around her neck and one around her waist, pulling her back into a warm body, warm breath found her cheek as she began to sob, tears falling down her cheeks as she turned slightly and finally saw the man who she never thought that she would see again. Tears were on Harry's cheeks as well and no words were exchanged as Nikki shook her head, reaching up and placing her trembling hands on his cheeks, feeling his slight stubble on her palms. Harry wrapped one arm around her back and rested his forehead on hers, his other hand placed on the side of her stomach as Nikki let out a low breath, closing her eyes and allowing her husband to nuzzle her nose gently with his before doing the same to her cheek, kissing her warm skin gently, neither of them rushing their moves despite everything that had been going on. Harry finally pressed his lips to hers and Nikki responded instantly, kissing him back and moving one hand to his shoulder, letting out a sob as they kissed softly, neither feeling the need to deepen the kiss.<p>

"You're here" Nikki whispered after a short time kissing softly and Harry nodded. "You were.."

"I'm here my darling" Harry nodded, nuzzling her nose again and making Nikki smile properly for the first time since she had been told that her husband had been dead.

"How?"

"That can wait" Harry murmured back just as quietly, stroking her bump gently as he spoke, a smile gracing his face before being wiped away as Nikki's hand connected to his cheek, the slapping noise practically echoing around the memorial.

"You selfish bastard" Nikki sobbed, tears slipping down her face as she gripped at Harry and buried her face in his neck, her husband wrapping his arms around her and pressing his face into her hair "You..bastard..don't ever..do..that...to us...again"

"I have no intention to" Harry replied, stroking her back as he kissed her cheek and held her tightly against him, neither wanting to let go ever again.


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you for the reviews :D Leave prompts for me if you want to.**

* * *

><p>"Are you okay?" Harry murmured to Nikki as they lay in bed in the hotel that they were staying in. Harry had been checked over by the paramedics, his cuts cleaned and the wound on his leg bandaged before he had told them he didn't need a hospital and just wanted to leave. He had made sure they checked Nikki over though for any signs of stress to the baby and Nikki had just let him sit there while they did so, knowing that it was for his own sanity that they did it.<p>

"I should be asking you that" Nikki whispered as she continued to stare of the window, Harry laying behind her with his chest pressed against her back, their legs entwined and one hand each entwined on Nikki's bump, feeling their baby moving and kicking underneath.

"I'm fine"

"No you're not" Nikki sighed and shook her head, still not looking away from the window "But you will be"

"With a lot of TLC from my wife" Harry chuckled and Nikki couldn't help but giggle, her husband rolling onto his back as she turned over and nuzzled herself into his side, Harry wrapping one arm around her shoulders, the other entwining with one of hers as she lay it on his chest, her bump pressed up against his stomach.

"I'm sure I can give you that"

"I know you can give me that" Harry smiled and glanced out of the window over Nikki's head, absentmindedly stroking her back through her blouse as he did so. "I still don't know what happened to the baby"

"Harry" Nikki sighed and looked up at him, her eyes full of understanding "I'm sure he is in a good home wherever he is"

"He should be with his mother"

Nikki bit her lip to stop herself from saying what she was thinking but Harry frowned and prompted her with a slight nod of the head.

"Harry she's a prostitute"

"So? That doesn't mean she won't be a good mother" Harry shook his head, surprised that his wife was talking like that when she was normally so open minded "You didn't see her with the baby"

"I'm sure she really does love him" Nikki nodded "I'm not disagreeing with you there, after nine months of carrying you can't help but love them" she smiled as her own baby moved in her "But that doesn't mean that she can provide for him properly. And what if she doesn't come back after a job? We've seen for ourselves how people treat women like her. What happens to the baby then?"

Harry was silent as he contemplated Nikki's words, knowing deep down that she was right but still angry that the young woman couldn't have the baby that she had bonded with after his birth. He couldn't imagine ever taking their baby away from Nikki and it pained him to even think about it.

"She was terrified"

"I would have been as well" Nikki murmured, her eyes closed as Harry continued to stroke her back.

"My strong and stubborn Nikki scared?" Harry mock gasped and Nikki sighed quietly, opening her eyes and turning her head slightly so she could look at her husband.

"I was terrified that I'd be raising our baby alone. I wanted to die Harry, it felt like..."

"Don't say things like that" Harry shook his head, propping himself up slightly on the pillows as he did so, stroking Nikki's hair away from her face as a few tears fell from her eyes. "You would have been strong and you would have raised our baby brilliantly"

"Not without you" Nikki let out a sob and closed her eyes, Harry gently pulling her even closer to him and wrapping his other arm around her, nuzzling the top of her head.

"I'm sorry I put you through that"

"I understand why you did it" Nikki nodded "But if you ever do that again I will kill you"

Harry couldn't stop the chuckle that escaped from him and he nodded.

"I'll try not to"

"You have to apologise to Leo as well for all the grief you caused him"

"What?" Harry asked and Nikki opened her eyes, her deep brown ones staring into Harry's confused green ones.

"Leo. He was distraught, I've never seen him this upset" Nikki told Harry who looked even guiltier than he did, something that his wife was happy about, he wasn't getting away that easily. "You're like a son to him Harry"

"And you're like a daughter, so that makes this relationship rather incestuous don't you think?" Harry smirked and Nikki hit him on the chest, making him pout before she reached up and traced her fingers lightly over the bruises and cuts on his face.

"Do they hurt a lot?"

"Not when you do that they don't" Harry murmured, closing his eyes as Nikki's soft touch relaxed him, his exhaustion finally taking over. He fought sleep but Nikki's touch and her soft voice as she told him about all the happy days they would have with their baby soon relaxed him even more.

Nikki smiled to herself as she saw Harry drop off into a deep sleep, knowing how exhausted her husband was. She didn't blame him for what he did, faking his own death or killing the man to do it. It was either Harry's death or the man's, and Nikki would have gladly killed him herself if it meant Harry staying alive.

Nikki watched Harry for a few more minutes to make sure that he was sound asleep before laying down properly and snuggling closer to her husband, resting her head on his chest as she too closed her eyes, the feeling of their baby moving inside her lulling her off into an uninterrupted sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

**Bit of a semi-graphic birth scene in this one, it's in the middle if you want to avoid it. I'm all for home births and unassisted home births so this is where this stemmed from, just so you know. I'm also a fan of writing Harry making Nial dares that he can't refuse and vice-verse :P**

**xxx**

* * *

><p>"So do you really think you're man enough to deliver your own child?"<p>

"Excuse me?" Harry asked as he looked up at his son who was smirking at him from across the kitchen table, twirling his half empty mug in his hand. Nial just shrugged and Harry closed the paper he had been reading. "Yes I am _man enough_ to deliver my own child. I've done it before"

"Delivered your own child?" Nikki asked as she walked into the room and Harry's breath hitched in his throat like it always seemed to do when he saw how beautiful she was, her stomach rounded with their child. "Is there something I should know?"

"No I mean I've delivered a child before" Harry tutted and Nikki giggled, leaning down to kiss him on the head as she passed.

"I know what you meant"

"But that was under pressure and I'm sure you weren't thinking properly" Nial continued before draining the mug of his coffee and then continuing "Here you have all the time in the world and.."

"I am perfectly capable of delivering my own child thank you" Harry interrupted and leant forward to glare at the teenager who was unfazed by his father's look "And yes I am _man enough_. But the question is, are you man enough to stay and help?"

"What?" Nial asked, shock registering on his face as he glanced from Harry to Nikki and then back again, a challenging look in Harry's eyes.

"I dare you to stay for the entire thing" Harry smirked and they both heard Nikki tut loudly from where she was leaning up against the counter, one hand resting next to her and the other on her bump. Medically she had reached full term two days beforehand but mentally she just wanted the baby out of her and in her arms.

"Harry don't force him"

"No I think I'll take you up on that dare" Nial smirked right back at his father, ignoring the apprehensive feeling inside him as he spoke. "How much?"

"How much?"

"Well if I have to stay through that I expect something in return"

"You've trained him well Nikki" Harry laughed at his wife who giggled loudly and rolled her eyes at the both of them pushing away from the counter and walking over to sit down on one side of the square table between her husband and son. "You should do it out of love"

Nial just gave him an incredulous look and Nikki giggled into her hand.

"Fine you can have the new X-Box that's coming out next month. I know you've been saving up for it but if you stay through the entire process then I will personally give you the money for it and you can go to the midnight release"

"Really?"

"Yes"

"Fine I'll stay then" Nial smirked as he stood up and walked over to the coffee machine for another coffee.

* * *

><p>"Ten pounds he leaves before you start pushing"<p>

"Harry we are not betting on our son" Nikki tutted as Harry wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, resting his hands on her bump as he kissed her neck gently and slowly.

"Fifteen"

"Fifteen he sticks it out until I start pushing and then leaves"

"Betting on our son Nicola?" Harry smirked into her neck and Nikki tutted again "Bad girl"

"Harry please make the labour start now" Nikki sighed and leant her head back on her husband's chest "Please"

They'd tried most things in the last few days but nothing had started Nikki's labour and she was slowly getting more and more frustrated.

"I brought some of that tea that was supposed to bring on labour" Harry then told his wife, patting her stomach as he moved away from her and walked over to the cupboard.

"Sperm is meant to start it as well" Nikki stated and Harry raised an eyebrow at her "Just wank in the tea"

"Nicola" Harry all but gasped at her noncommittal tone but she just shrugged and eased herself down into one of the chairs, wincing slightly and letting out a loud sigh.

"Just do something Harry"

Harry smiled slightly at his wife and poured some water into the kettle to make them drinks. He couldn't begin to comprehend how uncomfortable Nikki was or how frustrated she was but they had attempted most things to get labour started and nothing had worked.

"I could just take you upstairs and.."

"You can piss right off with that Cunningham"

Something else that Harry had noticed lately was that Nikki had begun to swear more than she normally did, mostly because she was annoyed and frustrated most of the time. Harry really tried not to imagine what she was going to be like during the birth.

* * *

><p>The next day Harry walked into the living room to see Nial watching one of the home birth DVDs that had been brought at some stage of the pregnancy. A look of shock and horror was on the teenage boy's face and Harry couldn't help but laugh loudly, this made Nial jump and he turned to his father as he pointed at the screen, a blush on his cheeks at being caught watching what he was. He would have been less embarrassed being caught watching porn.<p>

"Mum has to do that" he stated and Harry nodded.

"Yes"

"But..how can she even think about doing it when.." Nial trailed off and motioned to the DVD again as Harry sat down next to him.

"Women are a mysterious species" Harry laughed and Nial just nodded once "And your mother is a strong woman, she can do that"

"Yes but..."

"She'll be fine Nial" Harry assured his son, seeing the worried look on his face. He patted Nial on the arm and the teenager turned to look at him again "Women have been doing that since the beginning of time"

"Yes and if men had to go through that then the human race would have died out by now"

Both men turned when they heard Nikki's voice and saw her standing in the doorway of the living room, glaring at the both of them.

"All you have to do is stick it in and then that's it. Us women have to do all the rest of the work"

Harry winced and Nial pulled a face at the analogy, stopping the DVD and standing up to turn the television off. He had merely been curious about what he had signed up for the day before and now he was regretting it, even for a new X-Box and games, he didn't think he could see his mother go through that.

"Anything?" Harry asked and Nikki shook her head.

"No" she snapped and Nial chuckled quietly when he imagined the putout look on his father's face when Nikki used that tone. "Harry we've tried everything" Nikki then whined "Even the sex last night didn't help"

Nial pulled a face and hoped Nikki didn't see, he didn't want her anger being taken out on him. It was funny seeing it being taken out on Harry but his mother had developed a temper during the last few months of pregnancy and Nial didn't find it amusing when it was aimed at him.

"It'll happen" Harry assured his wife as he wrapped one arm around her waist and placed one hand on the bottom of her stomach "Her head is there"

"His" Nikki replied and placed her hand over Harry's "He's been like that for a while and then he moves out of position and then he moves back into position and.." her eyes smarted with tears and Harry stood up, gently wrapping his arms around her as Nikki buried her face in his shoulder, taking a deep shuddering breath.

"It'll happen soon" he whispered as he nuzzled her cheek with his nose and then pressed soft kisses to her skin. Nikki just nodded and closed her eyes.

* * *

><p>"Harry"<p>

Harry grunted and attempted to bat his wife's hand away as she nudged him, waking him up from his deep sleep.

"Harry"

"Go 'ay"

"Harry you git wake up" Nikki snapped and hit his bare shoulder. Harry opened his eyes and turned over, seeing his wife sitting up in the bed with her back against the headboard and one hand on her stomach, the other still resting on his shoulder.

"What is it?" Harry asked sleepily and Nikki rolled her eyes.

"I think the baby's coming"

"What?" Harry was instantly wide awake and he sat up, Nikki moving her hand to his arm and giving him a soothing smile.

"Calm down" Nikki giggled and leant over to press a soft kiss to his lips as Harry moved closer to her, placing one hand on her stomach next to hers. "It will take time, you know that. I woke up at about eleven with a contraction" she continued and Harry glanced at the time, it was almost six in the morning "That was the first proper one that I felt but I've had five since then"

Harry couldn't help but smile at his wife as he pressed his lips to hers in a soft kiss, stroking her bump gently as he did so.

"You should sleep some more" he then whispered and Nikki shook her head.

"Can't" she replied and giggled quietly as she nuzzled her head under his chin, pushing her pyjama top above her bump and stroking it "Too excited"

Harry chuckled and pressed small kisses to the top of her head.

"So am I but you're going to need your strength for later" he murmured and Nikki sighed loudly "Come on"

Harry then helped Nikki lay down again and pressed himself into her back, resting one hand on her stomach as Nikki covered his hand with her own. It didn't take long for Nikki to fall asleep but by that time Harry was wide awake and anticipating the next day. He gently extracted himself from Nikki and climbed out of the bed, covering his wife with the duvet and then grabbing his dressing gown. He walked quietly from the room and then down to the kitchen.

Harry pulled a piece of paper towards him and wrote down the time of the first contraction that Nikki had told him about and then went about making coffee for himself.

* * *

><p>For the next two hours Harry pottered quietly around the house making sure that everything was ready for the baby. He knew that everything had been ready for months but the new father in him just wanted to make sure. When eight o'clock came Harry thought it best to call Leo to tell him that he wouldn't be in to work. For the time that Harry and Nikki would be off Leo had employed Charlie who had recently graduated as a pathologist, however Harry would be going back after a month's paternity leave that Leo had signed him off for but Charlie would be staying until Nikki went back as well.<p>

Leo picked up the phone after the third ring.

"_Morning Harry"_

"Morning Leo" Harry replied cheerfully, a grin on his face as he spoke "I won't be in today"

"_Wh..Nikki?"_

"Hmm" Harry nodded, leaning back against the kitchen counter as he spoke "She woke me up about two hours ago and said she'd had the first contraction at about eleven last night, she's sleeping now though"

"_That's brilliant"_ Harry could hear Leo grinning down the phone as the older man spoke "_Good luck, you'll both be fine I'm sure and you better call me as soon as you can"_

"Even if it's the middle of the night?" Harry enquired, already knowing the answer.

"_Yes Harry"_

"And you better come and see us straight away, middle of the night be damned" Harry grinned and Leo laughed loudly down the phone, the pathologist then glanced up and smiled at Nial as the teenager walked into the kitchen rubbing one eye and yawning.

"_If that's what you both want"_

"It is, you know we'd want to show the baby off to his or her grandparents as soon as possible" Harry laughed and Leo chuckled down the phone.

"_You'll keep me updated won't you?"_

"Of course, is Janet working today?"

"_No but I'll keep her updated if you want?"_ Leo enquired and Harry nodded, running his free hand through his hair.

"Nikki will probably ring her anyway; I doubt she wants just me and Nial for company the whole time. She'll want to speak to Janet"

"_Nial?"_

"Yeah he's staying; I've made a bet with him"

"_Harry" _

Harry chuckled and Leo's disapproving tone and just shook his head at Nial who frowned as he sat down at the kitchen table with a mug of coffee and a bowl of cereal.

"_I'll let you go, I'm sure you're eager to get back to Nikki. Good luck all of you and we'll be around as soon as you want us"_

"Thanks Leo, see you"

"_Bye"_

Harry then hung up the phone and put it back in the holder, turning to Nial who was absentmindedly stirring his coffee as he read the book that he had left on the table the night before.

"Your mum's in labour"

Nial quickly looked up from his book and at Harry who was smiling at him.

"Where is she?"

"In bed sleeping still" Harry replied "She woke me up at six to tell me that she had her first contraction at about eleven last night and then I made her sleep again"

"Well it's about time" Nial chuckled, dog-earing the book and putting it down on the table again as Harry walked over and sat down opposite him "Everything ready?"

"Pretty much" Harry nodded "Apart from the pool, I'll wait until Nikki says she wants that before I do anything"

They then both heard the movement upstairs and looked up at the ceiling. Harry then stood up and walked towards the kitchen door, patting Nial on the shoulder as he passed. He made his way quickly upstairs and walked into the bedroom to see his beautifully pregnant wife standing next to the bed with one hand on the bedside table. Nikki looked up and smiled at him and Harry beamed back at her, his heart thumping loudly in his chest as he once again tried to comprehend how beautiful she was.

"Just had another one" Nikki told him as Harry walked over and took her hand in his, kissing her on the cheek and then wrapping his other arm around her back. "I can't sleep anymore"

"Okay" Harry nodded and kissed her again, his wife smiling as he did so.

"I can't believe it's finally happening" she giggled and Harry chuckled, pressing his forehead to hers and stroking her back. "We'll have our baby soon"

"I know" Harry nodded, pressing a kiss to her nose as he moved away slightly "Do you want anything?"

"Can I have a bath? My back aches" Nikki told him and Harry chuckled, glancing down at her large bump and making his wife giggle.

"I am not at all surprised"

"Are you calling me fat Dr Cunningham?"

"No, pregnant" Harry replied truthfully and stole another kiss from his still giggling wife "Beautifully pregnant"

Nikki smiled and rubbed her stomach as he spoke. As much as she had whined and moaned in the last week or so she knew she would miss being pregnant.

"I'll run you a bath" Harry then told her and Nikki nodded.

"Thank you"

Harry made his way over to the bathroom door and opened it, walking in and opening the blinds so light flooded the room. He heard Nikki walk into the bathroom and smiled at her as she sat down on the closed toilet seat, rubbing her stomach lightly. He started to run the water so it was warm and then turned to the shower in the corner of the room and opened the door, he had used the other bathroom in the house to brush his teeth but he hadn't bothered with a shower when it was so early.

"So you're not joining me in the bath"

Harry chuckled as he turned to Nikki who was pouting at him.

"Or you're not letting me join you in the shower"

"Darling a shower would not soothe your back and I doubt you want me in the bath with you when you're trying to relax" Harry responded, turning the shower on and turning the dial so it gave out warm water. "Do you want the pool set up?"

"Not yet" Nikki shook her head and shifted where she was sitting, leaning back against the cistern and wincing as she ran her hand under her bump. "Maybe later"

"Just tell me when"

Nikki just nodded and closed her eyes, leaning her head back against the wall and letting the soothing sounds of the bath running and the water in the shower relax her slightly.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine" Nikki replied quietly and opened her eyes to see Harry standing by the shower with a concerned look on his face, completely naked. "Must you tease me like this when I can't have you for a while now?"

"Sorry darling" Harry chuckled and Nikki giggled at him "Now you know what I feel like when I see you, even as you are now" he walked over and pressed a soft kiss to Nikki's lips "I won't be long"

Nikki nodded and didn't take her eyes off her husband until he had stepped into the shower and closed the already steamed up door.

* * *

><p>"Harry?"<p>

"Hmm?" Harry asked as was crouching down next to the bath, one hand holding Nikki's on the edge and the other stroking the top of her back and her hair gently.

"I'm scared"

"Don't be, it'll all be fine" Harry smiled and squeezed her hand gently "We'll have our baby in no time"

"I mean about being a mother"

"You're a perfect mum to Nial"

"He came fully grown" Nikki giggled and Harry chuckled "We have to raise this one"

"Yes but we will do an amazing job because we are both quite brilliant" Harry smirked and his wife laughed loudly and nodded, leaning back against the bath so Harry had to move his hand. He then placed it on her bump and stroked it, spreading bubbles over Nikki's skin and making her chuckled at him. "I'm going to miss this, your bump"

"So am I" Nikki nodded, placing her hand on the side of her stomach and smiling at her husband "It'll feel weird not carrying all this extra weight around"

* * *

><p>"Nial tell your father that I'm chopping his dick off" Nikki ground out to Nial as she breathed her way through a contraction. It was almost three o'clock in the afternoon and the contractions were ten minutes apart already.<p>

"Uh" Nial replied from where he was crouched down on the towels next to his mother holding her hand. "Dad mum said.."

"I heard" Harry chuckled as he walked into the living room and crouched down next to his wife, moving some of her hair away from her face. Nikki however just flinched away from him and sat up a bit more.

"Don't fucking touch me" she hissed and Nial was shocked at her language. He glanced at Harry who just had an understanding look on his face as he nodded.

"Okay"

"Go away" she murmured and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath as Nial continued to stroke the back of her hand gently. He then went to stand up but Nikki opened her eyes and shook her head. "Not you Nial, him" she nodded her head in Harry's direction and Nial nodded, settling down again as Harry stood up and made his way over to the pool which was filled with warm water. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine mum" Nial nodded, glancing at Harry who looked the epitome of calm. He then looked back at Nikki as she let out a quiet whine and sat forward slightly, closing her eyes and taking small breaths.

"Harry" she panted and held out her free hand to her husband who quickly walked over and took it, kneeling down next to her and coaxing her through the contraction. Nikki then let out another small whimper and opened her eyes. "I think.." she shifted uncomfortably "My waters have broken"

Harry glanced down between her legs and sure enough her grey maternity tracksuit bottoms were darker.

"Yes they have" Harry beamed at her and pressed a kiss to her forehead as his wife relaxed and gave him a small smile.

"'bout time" she murmured and Harry chuckled, kissing her again. "Take them off"

Nial shifted next to her and Nikki turned to look at him, giving him a grateful smile as she placed one hand on his cheek.

"You don't have to stay"

"I want to" Nial smiled back at her and Harry shook his head.

"I'll buy you the X-Box anyway, you don't have to stay"

"But I want to"

Nial had reasons for wanting to stay, reasons that he knew Harry and Nikki wouldn't understand if he told them now.

"You can leave whenever you want to though" Harry told their son who just nodded and glanced over at the phone when it rang.

"I'll get it"

Nial stood up and picked up the ringing device from the cradle as Harry went about sorting Nikki out. He placed his hands on the waistband of the tracksuit bottoms and smiled as Nikki sighed quietly.

"Okay?"

"Hmm" Nikki nodded and lifted her hips slightly to allow Harry to pull her trousers off "Knickers as well"

Harry didn't say anything but did as he was told, pulling them off and putting them next to his wife before leaning up and kissing her on the lips.

"I didn't mean what I said" Nikki murmured "I like your cock too much"

"Yes well so do I" Harry chuckled and Nikki smirked at him, moving his hand and placing it on her stomach. "Do you need anything?"

"No" Nikki sighed and closed her eyes, shifting slightly and her face contorting in discomfort as she let out a small whine, another contraction washing over her. She gripped Harry's hand and felt him stroking her stomach as he coaxed her through the pain. The contraction faded quickly and she opened her eyes to smile at her husband who smiled back at her.

"I'm going to check your dilation"

Nikki just nodded and leant her head back on the sofa that she was leaning against. Harry kissed her once again before moving a bit so he could see what he was doing.

"Open your legs a bit more for me Nikki"

Nikki did as she was asked and Harry smiled at her as Nial walked over and crouched down next to his mother again, looking everywhere apart from at what Harry was doing.

"Who was it?"

"Grandpa" Nial replied "Wanting to know how it was going"

Harry nodded and then turned back to his wife, placing one hand on her thigh and getting her attention again.

"I'm going to check now darling"

"Okay" Nikki nodded quickly and winced in pain, letting out a small whimper as Harry pressed two fingers into her. Nial reached over and took her hand in his and Nikki gripped it tightly, closing her eyes and leaning her head back on the sofa.

"Good girl" Harry whispered as he checked her, seeing Nial's concerned look as he glanced up at the teenager "You okay Nial?"

"Yeah"

"Sure? Don't faint on me" Harry smiled and Nial shook his head "I'm afraid I'll have to leave you there" he heard Nikki chuckle quietly before letting out a whimper of pain as he continued to check her "Deep breath Nikki"

Nikki did as she was told and then Harry took his hands away from her, picking up a towel as he did so.

"Seven centimetres Nikki"

Nikki bit her lip and nodded, letting out a small breath as she opened her eyes and smiled at her husband.

* * *

><p>"Dad do I have to learn this at med school?" Nial asked as he crouched down next to the pool where Nikki was lounging, her head back on the side of the pool and her eyes closed. Harry was kneeling in between her legs, one hand in his wife's and the other gently pushing water over her stomach as he checked her progress every few seconds. The baby had crowned a few minutes before and the contractions had stopped for now as was normal for some women.<p>

"Yes but you'll have a head start won't you?" Harry replied and Nial nodded both of them looking at Nikki as she let out a loud whimper and sat forward. She gripped Harry's hand tighter and both men could see that she was pushing; a moan escaped her mouth before she relaxed slightly and opened her eyes. "Okay?" Harry asked she shook her head.

"No" she whispered and closed her eyes for a few seconds, panting slightly as she felt another contraction building. It washed over her unexpectedly and she gasped loudly, pushing with it when her body told her to and she gripped Harry's hand tightly as he placed his other hand between her legs. "Don't fucking touch me" she yelled at him through the pain and Harry whipped his hand away as quickly as he could "Don't..you..dare" she panted as the contraction faded but the sharp insistent pain was still there in her abdomen. "I hate you"

"I know"

"I..really really..hate...you" Nikki shouted at him as another pain washed through her and she gripped his arm tightly, pushing as hard as she could.

"You're doing so well" Harry told her, glancing between her legs and then back up at his wife, a grin forming on his face despite seeing her in so much pain. "Nial are the towels ready?"

"Yes" Nial nodded, tearing his eyes away from his mother and motioning to where they were warming on the radiator.

"We don't want them too hot so take them off when I tell you to" Harry murmured and Nial nodded again, glancing back at Nikki and his eyes flicking in between her legs.

"Wow" Nial then blushed when he realised he had said that out loud and Harry chuckled at him, turning back to his wife when she tugged at his arm through a contraction and pushing.

"I can't Harry" she whispered and Harry nodded at her, placing one hand between her legs and feeling the head was out a little bit more. "Nothing's..happening"

"Yes it is" Harry assured her with a nod, pressing a kiss to her sweaty forehead as she breathed heavily.

"It is mum" Nial nodded and moved some of Nikki's hair away from her face "You have to listen to dad for once"

"Not going to..happen" Nikki shook her head and the two men chuckled quietly "Harry I want...to feel"

"The baby?"

"Hmm" Nikki nodded and Harry took her hand in his and gently placed it between her legs just as another contraction washed over her. She pushed as hard as she could and kept her hand between her legs, a rush of adrenaline rushed through her when she felt her baby for the first time and she continued to push with the entire contraction until she felt the head slip out of her a bit more. The sharp pain ended and the ache returned, Nikki took a deep breath and then some smaller ones to try and get her breathing back to normal.

"Nial you're looking rather pale" Harry told the young man who was staring between Nikki's legs with a look that mingled disgust and curiosity. "Don't faint in the water and drown"

"I'm just..it's..." Nial shook his head and turned away from his mother as though just realising that she was completely naked. "Uh..."

Harry however had turned away from the stuttering teenager when Nikki let out a loud moan and pushed again, squeezing his hand tightly.

"Keep pushing Nikki" Harry told her, placing his hand between her legs to support their baby's head with Nikki's hand, a grin on his face as he did "Good girl keep going"

Nikki felt a searing pain shoot from her abdomen and a loud whimper escaped her mouth.

"Nikki the head is out" Harry whispered breathlessly and he glanced at Nial who looked even paler than he did before. "Nial take the towels off the radiator"

Nial didn't move as he gripped at the edge of the birthing pool, opening and closing his mouth when no sound came out. Harry ignored Nikki when she pushed again.

"Nial" he said loudly and the teenager snapped his head to look at his father "Towels off the radiator"

"R..right" Nial nodded and quickly stood up, missing his father roll his eyes as he did as he was told. He heard his mother moan loudly and heard his father encouraging her as he pulled the towels away from the heat and spread them over the armchair to cool them down a bit. Nial then turned to look at his mother just as he saw the baby slip from her body and into her waiting hands. Something shot through Nial when he saw that and a grin formed on his face as Nikki let out a loud sigh of relief and quickly pulled the baby from the water.

"Hello baby" she whispered and cradled the baby to her naked chest, patting the newborn's back as tears fell down her cheeks. "God" she then breathed with relief as she relaxed down into the water, Harry moving closer to her and placing one hand on their baby's back "Come on baby breathe for mummy"

The baby then let out a loud cough and began to wail loudly, Nikki laughed tearfully and Harry joined her, leaning his forehead on hers before moving the cord away from the baby.

"A boy" he whispered and Nikki let out another loud sob, nodding slightly as she moved the baby closer to the middle of her chest and stroked his wet blonde hair gently. "Hello son" Harry murmured and stroked the crying baby's back, resting his cheek on Nikki's as they looked down at their newborn, tears on their cheeks. "He's perfect"

Nikki nodded, unable to tear her eyes away from their baby as she cradled him gently but securely against her skin, unable to comprehend that this was her baby, her son with Harry. She then looked around for Nial and saw him standing by the armchair.

"Nial come and meet your brother" she nodded him over to them and then looked down at her newborn. Nial crouched down next to the pool and Harry moved away slightly so he could see the baby better.

"Wow" Nial murmured "He's tiny"

"Hmm" Nikki nodded and pressed a kiss to the newborn's slowly drying blonde hair as Harry moved across the pool to pick up the sterilised equipment that they might have needed for the birth.

"Do you want to cut the cord?" Harry then asked Nial who had tentatively reached over and touched the baby's hand, jerking his own away when the baby twitched his fingers and let out a small whimper. His parents laughed and Nial blushed.

"Made me jump" Nial chuckled sheepishly and Nikki giggled quietly "Wait, what?"

"Do you want to cut the cord?" Harry repeated and Nial glanced at Nikki who just smiled back and looked down at the baby on her chest, stroking his back gently.

"Really?"

"Hmm"

Nial couldn't help the grin that was on his face as he nodded eagerly.

"Don't you want to do it?" he then asked Harry who pressed soft kisses to Nikki's head and then looked down at their baby.

"I can do the next one"

"The next one Harry?" Nikki gasped and scoffed "Once science finds a way for men to get pregnant is when we are having another one"

Harry chuckled, knowing that she was joking. Or he really hoped she was.

* * *

><p>"Nial I think your brother wants a cuddle" Harry told the teenager half an hour later when Nikki was laying on the sofa, their son wrapped up in blankets and cradled in his father's arms.<p>

"I don't want to hurt him"

"You won't" Nikki smiled at her boys as Nial made his way uncertainly over to Harry.

"I've never held a baby"

"Well here's your chance" Harry chuckled and gently transferred the newborn into his brother's arms, adjusting Nial's hold on him slightly and then stepping back and sitting down next to his wife, wrapping one arm around her shoulder. "You were brilliant my darling" he told her and Nikki smiled, snuggling closer to him and moving her eyes from their sons to Harry who was stroking her still damp hair. "You should rest"

"I'm not tired and you need to phone Leo and Janet"

Harry made a noise in the back of his throat and looked up at Nial who had a look of utter awe and love on his face as he gazed down at the tiny baby in his arms.

"Hello" Nial whispered to the sleeping baby, a grin forming on his face "I'm your big brother"

Nial had never told Harry or Nikki but throughout the entire pregnancy he had been terrified that he would hate the child. Hate it for being Harry and Nikki's biological child when he was just a moody teenager that they had taken in. But when he looked down at the sleeping baby he felt nothing but love and responsibility for his little brother. He leant down and pressed his lips to the newborn's forehead and silently vowed to protect the little one with his life.


	7. Chapter 7

"Oh Nikki he's gorgeous" Janet breathed as she looked down at the baby nestled in Nikki's arms, wrapped in a soft light blue blanket with cartoon Elephants, Lions and Giraffes around the edge that Leo had brought during the pregnancy on the off chance the baby was a boy.

"Thank you" Nikki smiled, shifting the baby slightly as Janet sat down on the arm of the armchair that Nikki was in. She then pushed the blanket away from her newborn son slightly and gently extracted one of his arms so she could stroke his tiny hand gently.

"He's so tiny" Janet laughed tearfully as she leant down and pressed a kiss to Nikki's forehead

"He certainly didn't feel it a few hours ago" Nikki giggled at her older friend who chuckled and nodded, hesitantly stroking the baby's tiny hand and grinning when the baby clamped his hand around her finger in his sleep, his fingers not even fitting around one of hers.

"How are you feeling?"

"I don't know" Nikki shook her head, still entirely in awe of her baby "I can hardly believe that he's mine and that I'm a mum. I'm not even tired, I thought I would be"

"Adrenalin?"

"I think so" Nikki chuckled, stroking her sleeping son's cheek and shifting him again so that the blanket wasn't wrapped around him as much so her friend could see him even better "And a constant need to see him and hold him"

"Nikki"

Both women looked up as Leo walked into the room followed closely by Harry who beamed when he saw his wife and child.

"Leo" Nikki grinned at the older man who was instantly by her side and pressing a kiss to her forehead and then her cheek.

"He's gorgeous" Leo smiled proudly at the woman he thought of as a daughter as he looked down at her son. Nikki smiled up at him and rested her head on his shoulder, seeing and hearing the tears in his eyes and voice.

"Don't start crying Leo" Nikki giggled tearfully "We've both done enough of that since he was born"

Harry chuckled from where he was sitting on the arm of the sofa next to the armchair and Janet moved to hug him as he didn't deny what Nikki had said.

"You did well"

"Thank you" Nikki smiled at the older man and leant up to kiss him on the cheek before looking down at the baby in her arms as he whimpered and shifted slightly, opening his still blue eyes and screwing his face up "Hey, ssh my handsome boy, mummy's here" she whispered to him as she shifted him in her arms and leant down to press a kiss to his forehead, breathing in his comforting and unique smell as she did so. "Your grandpa and grandma are here to meet you"

The baby soon settled down again without any crying and Nikki chuckled.

"I doubt it will be that easy from now on" she laughed and the other three adults joined in "Who's holding him first?"

"Janet" Leo replied as his partner nodded eagerly "We tossed a coin"

The new parent's laughed when they heard this and Nikki shook her head in amusement as she beckoned Janet closer to her.

"I haven't held a baby in a long time and never one this small" the older woman told her but Nikki just smiled at her as she carefully transferred her newborn son into Janet's arms without the blanket.

"There we go"

"He's so tiny" Janet murmured as Leo moved towards her for another look at his grandson "What's his name then?"

"Henry Leo" Harry replied and Leo quickly looked away from where he was stroking the baby's hand to where the younger couple were sitting on the armchair, Harry on the arm and Nikki leaning into his body with their hands entwined.

"Really?" Leo asked, his voice catching in his throat as the new parent's nodded their confirmation, both of them smiling at him "Thank you"

"How much does he weigh?"

"Five pounds two" Nikki told them both, wincing and hissing slightly in pain as she shifted in the armchair.

"Do you want any painkillers?" Harry asked his wife, hating to see her in pain and discomfort. He stroked her hair gently away from her face as she shook her head.

"I can't while I'm breastfeeding"

"I'm sure there's something"

"I'm fine Harry" Nikki smiled at him and squeezed his hand as he looked at her in concern "Really, don't worry about me"

"I always worry about you" Harry chuckled, leaning down and pressing a soft kiss to her lips which she eagerly returned before settling back in the armchair and smoothing down her dressing gown.

"He took to you then" Janet stated and Nikki nodded.

"Very eagerly. I can't imagine _who_ he takes after" Nikki giggled as she shot a look at Harry who had the decency to look embarrassed as he glanced at Leo who was trying not to smile and Janet who was doing nothing to hide her laughter.

"Nikki. Leo's here"

"So?"

"Well it's like..come on he's practically your dad" Harry whined and Nikki nodded, glancing at Leo who she saw swallow heavily and reach up to wipe his eyes.

"I think grandpa wants a cuddle" Janet then told the baby and Leo instantly nodded, a grin crossing his face as he eagerly but gently accepted the baby from his partner, cradling the newborn against him and pressing a kiss to his forehead.

"Hello little one" Leo whispered to the baby "Aren't you gorgeous? You look just like your mummy, you have her hair" he then turned to Harry and Nikki, smiling proudly at them "You did well with this one"

"All thanks to Nikki" Harry smiled, leaning down and pressing a kiss to the top of his wife's head as she looked up at him and shook her head, a smile on her face.

"He does look very much like Nikki" Leo nodded, looking back down at the baby again and smiling down at him "Aren't you? You look so much like your mummy. But you just lost your grandpa fifty pounds at work"

"How?" Nikki asked suspiciously hearing her husband chuckle next to her as she looked up at him "There was a bet?"

"Of course" Harry laughed and Nikki looked from him to Leo who was smirking and to Janet who was just rolling her eyes at the two men "I think most of the lab entered once they found out we were having a baby"

Nikki just rolled her eyes and shook her head at her husband, accepting a kiss from him before settling back on the armchair and nodding at Leo.

"Who started it?"

"Zak"

"Why am I really not surprised?" Nikki addressed Janet who looked up from the baby and shook her head "What was the bet on?"

"Sex and weight" Leo replied, looking back at the baby in his arms as he talked to him "So that means that grandpa lost some money because he said you were going to be a girl, but then again so has your daddy"

"Harry" Nikki chided but they could all see that she didn't mind at all "Maybe next time"

"Really?" Harry asked, a happy grin forming on his face as his wife nodded.

"Definitely"

Harry's grin grew as he leant down and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Thank you so much"


	8. Chapter 8

**This is the pissed off Nikki fanfiction that certain people wanted. I hope it lives up to your expectations but I doubt that very much :)**

**xxx**

* * *

><p>Nikki didn't think she had been this angry in a very long time, in a few years really as she sat in the headmaster's office of the new school Nial had been attending for three weeks. The fifteen year old who was in the last stages of the adoption process that would officially sign herself and Harry as his parents was sitting on another of the chairs, a tissue held up to his nose by a bruised and cut hand, blood on his white shirt, a cut on his other cheek and a bruise forming on his nose and his right eye. She glanced at him and gave him a look that told him that he was in trouble and he looked down at the floor in shame and a part of Nikki was glad he had done that.<p>

"What were you thinking?" she then asked the teenager as the headmaster finished telling her how Nial got into the state he was. Nial didn't reply, he just shrugged and moved the bloody tissue away from his nose to check if the bleeding had stopped "That's not good enough"

"Wha' do you wan' me 'o say?" Nial asked her loudly and Nikki tutted, shaking her head and looking at the headmaster.

"What are you going to do?"

"Well the other two young men involved in the incident have been suspended for two weeks so we're giving Nial here the same punishment"

Nial made a noise of protest and shook his head, Nikki glaring at him before sighing and nodding.

"I'll have to have time off work to look after him then"

"I don'' nee' loo'ing af'er" Nial protested loudly and Nikki's glare intensified.

"Obviously you do, you're not having two weeks off alone at home. You'd be on the internet or x-box for the entire time and that's not a punishment. Speaking of that those two things are being taken away from you"

"Ni''i!" Nial shook his head, pleading with his future adoptive mother who just shook her head.

"Go outside and wait for me please, I just need a word with the headmaster"

"Bu'.."

One look from Nikki had Nial backing down and he tutted angrily, standing up and glaring at Nikki as he grabbed his bag and stormed from the room, slamming the door loudly behind him. Nikki sighed loudly and shook her head.

"I'm sorry about what happened, Nial's just had it very hard recently. I'm not using that as an excuse, far from it he'll get punished like I said but it's difficult for him"

"I understand from his file that you're adopting him in a few weeks"

"Yes" Nikki smiled slightly and nodded, glancing towards the door "He didn't have the upbringing that most of the pupils here did" she continued, motioning to the general direction of the school they were in which Nial had wanted to go to so Harry and Nikki had fought hard to get him in to. "But he wanted to come here so we fought to get him in here and this is how he repays us and the governors"

"Yes most of the pupils here do come from..privileged backgrounds which is why I think Nial reacted the way he did when those other two young men said the things they did. I don't condone what he did but when I was Nial's age I would have reacted the same way" the middle aged man smiled kindly at Nikki and she sighed and nodded. "He's a good boy, a good student. In the few weeks that he's been here his name has popped up a few times in the staffroom as one of the good students who we know will go far"

"He wants to become a pathologist" Nikki smiled and shrugged "I think he just needs to get out of the mentality that his father and mother put him into, he's been like that for fifteen years it's going to be difficult to change"

* * *

><p>The ride home from the school had been awkward and silent, neither of them even attempting conversation with each other, Nial stared out of the passenger side window with a tissue over his nose when it started to bleed again halfway through the journey and Nikki didn't take her eyes off the road, planning what she was going to say and do when she got home with the teenager.<p>

* * *

><p>Nikki unlocked the door to their flat and let Nial in first, the teenager instantly storming up the stairs as Nikki closed the door behind them with a loud bang.<p>

"You get back here"

"No"

"Now"

"You can't tell me what to do" Nial shouted back at her, blood dripping down his nose again which he wiped with the back of his hand, smearing it over his cheek "You're not my mother"

Nikki opened her mouth to reply but Nial had already run up the stairs, slamming his bedroom door shut as he walked inside. She then swallowed the unexpected lump that had formed in her throat as she walked through to the kitchen and threw her bag on the table, reaching in for her phone so she could contact Harry who had been at a scene when the school had called her. She quickly pressed the speed dial number and walked over to the kettle to make herself a drink.

"_Hi sweetheart"_

"Hey"

"_What's wrong with Nial? Leo said the school had called you? Is he ill?"_

Nikki sighed loudly and shook her head even though he couldn't see, resting her mobile between her ear and her shoulder as she filled the kettle with water.

"He got into a fight, actually it sounds like he started the fight. Physically anyway"

"_What?"_ Harry hissed down the phone _"About what? Is he okay?"_

"Two of the other boys mocked him about how he doesn't have a proper family and how his parents are deadbeats who didn't want him" Nikki sighed, flicking the switch on the kettle and then reaching up to hold the phone properly "He snapped and punched both of them, he's got a bloody and bruised nose and a black eye and he's been suspended for two weeks, two weeks Harry"

"_Do you want me to come home? We can talk to him together?"_

Nikki licked her lips as she considered Harry's request, knowing that if Leo knew what was going on then the older man would let her fiancé come home to sort it all out.

"Please" she replied eventually and nodded as she pouted out the water into her mug "I want to make sure he's alright and doesn't have concussion or something but he's not going to let me near him anytime soon"

"_Why?"_

"I'll explain when you get here"

"_Okay, I won't be long. I'll just go and speak to Leo"_

"Okay, I love you"

"_I love you, see you soon"_

"Yeah"

Nikki then hung up her mobile and put it in her pocket, picking up her mug of coffee and then walking over to the table, sitting down before frowning and glancing at the ceiling. She then stood up and walked from the kitchen, making her way quickly up the stairs and to Nial's room. Nikki pushed the door open without knocking like she usually did and saw Nial sitting on his bed with a tissue held up to his nose.

"Go away"

"No, downstairs now so I can sort your injuries out"

"Like you care"

"Nial I care now get downstairs" Nikki shouted at him and he looked up at her in shock, removing the bloody tissue and throwing it in the bin. The blood on his cheek had dried where he hadn't bothered to wipe it off and the bruise was now even more pronounced "Well either you come down now or you come down when Harry gets here, either way you're getting there"

"You called him?"

"Of course I did"

"Can't you just leave me alone?"

"No, not after what you did"

"Don't you want to hear my side of the story?" Nial yelled at her and Nikki shook her head incredulously.

"There were witnesses Nial, they heard those two boys mocking you and then they saw you punch them both before they punched you back and as much as I think they deserved it for what they said you do _not_ use violence as an answer"Nikki's voice rose as she spoke and by the end she was shouting at the teenager who had climbed off his bed, shaking his head and running his hands through his hair.

"Like you would know anything of what I'm like, you have this perfect life, you're intelligent, you have a great job, you have a nice house, when you were my age you had the same, you had friends, you had your intelligence, you had.."

"No I didn't" Nikki shook her head as she interrupted him "You know I didn't, what I had was the same as you. A dead mother, a dad who couldn't care less. At least with this school you have a chance, I was at a school where intelligence was seen as the person being a snob or acting like they were better than anyone else. I fought for where I am now through all the bullying and the rumours and then when I got home there was my father who would do nothing all day except drink and spend money we didn't have" she shouted at him "Now you get down those stairs before Harry gets in or you will be sorry"

Nial didn't say anything but he pushed past her and gave her a glare, her words not getting through his angry state. Nikki then slammed his bedroom door as she too walked out, following the teenager down the stairs, her anger reaching levels that they hadn't in a while as he walked into the living room and she into the kitchen.

* * *

><p>Half an hour later and Harry walked into the flat, hearing it in silence which was eerie, normally there was some form of sound whether it be the television or Nial playing his games. He closed the door behind him and made his way cautiously through to the kitchen, wondering if he was going to find a war zone or not. He however saw Nikki sitting at the kitchen table clutching at a mug glaring at it as though it had done her wrong.<p>

"Nikki"

She looked up in surprise and then smiled slightly at him as she stood up and accepted a hug from her fiancé, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face in his neck.

"Are you okay? Where's Nial?"

"I'm going to be a terrible mum" Nikki whispered against his neck and Harry shook his head, looking down at her and stroking her hair away from her face.

"No you're not"

"I am"

"Where is he?"

"Living room"

"Come on, let's go and talk to him" Harry gave her a small smile as she nodded and moved away from him, he then took her hand in his and lead her through to the living room where Nial was sitting on the window ledge staring out of the window at London. "Nial"

"What do you want?"

"That attitude needs to go for a start" Harry shook his head as he closed the living room door behind him, running his eyes over the half of Nial's face that he could see. "Now what happened?"

"I'm sure Nikki's already told you"

"I want to hear it from you"

"Why should I? You know what happened"

Harry sighed quietly and glanced at Nikki who was sitting on the sofa, she shrugged slightly and shook her head before he looked back at the teenager.

"What happened? I want to hear it from you"

"Two guys started mocking me because I'm not like them, I didn't have their privileged upbringing and they said I didn't deserve to be in that school and that I was just a waste of space being there so I punched them both, they got me back obviously" Nial told Harry monotonously without even turning away from the window "There, done. You can go back to work now"

"Nial what they said was wrong but you can't answer everything with your fists" Harry shook his head.

"How else was I meant to?"

"Walk away from them"

"Like a coward"

"No, like someone who wants to keep their face intact and keep their place at the school that people fought so hard to get you into because you wanted to go there" Nikki shook her head and Nial turned to look at her with a frown on his face.

"Like you care"

"For God's sake Nial don't start this again of course I care" Nikki told him loudly as she sat forward on the sofa "If I didn't care we wouldn't be having this conversation right now would we? Now you've been given an opportunity at a brilliant school that you _wanted_ to go to because you thought it would be good for you as well and you're throwing it away"

"What happened to the other two?"

"Suspended for two weeks as well" Nial shrugged and Harry tutted, shaking his head.

"Now we have to have time off work to look after you while you're suspended"

"No you don't" Niall scoffed at Nikki's words, the couple just shaking their heads.

"I told you earlier if you think we're leaving you here alone all day while you're meant to be being punished then you've got another think coming" Nikki told the teenager who just shook his head incredulously "Either that or we take your X-Box, laptop and all the tv cables to work with us everyday"

"How petty can you get?" Nial snapped and Nikki chuckled bitterly.

"Life isn't fair Nial you should have worked that one out by now just like I did at your age, but then again I didn't have anyone to go to like you do. It was me on my own from when I was younger than you but I coped and I got through it, so when you've stopped being selfish I suggest you think about everything that you've done and then come and apologise to us" Nikki shouted and him as she stood up and walked from the room, slamming the door behind her and leaving Harry and Nial in stunned silence.

Nial bowed his head and then looked back out of the window, leaning his head on the glass and closing his eyes.

"I don't know what to do Harry"

"About what?" Harry asked softly as he walked over and perched himself on the edge of the low window ledge

"Me, I just automatically hit out and.." he stopped as he reached up to his nose and then brought his hand away to see blood on his skin. Harry reached over to the table next to them and pulled a tissue out of the box, handing it to his future son who gave him a small smile of thanks.

"You just need to realise Nial that you have people who care about you now who you can talk to. Me, Nikki, Janet, Leo. Even Zak if you want to, you get along with Zak just fine"

"Nikki hates me"

"Nikki doesn't hate you at all" Harry shook his head "She's just upset that you did this and don't seem to understand what you've got. Nikki had the same as you when she was your age but she didn't get send to a good school where the teaching is one of the best, she had to fight for where she is now by herself because she had no-one else to help her"

"That's why I don't want to disappoint her, well anyone really" Nial replied as he removed the tissue from his nose and then folded it up into a clean spot, putting it back on his nose and squeezing it.

"Nikki loves you and she doesn't want you going through what she did when she was your age" Harry told the teenager kindly "We all want to give you the support you need but Nikki tries even harder because she knows what it's like, that's why she was so angry at you today"

"I need to apologise" Nial murmured, removing the tissue from his nose and going to climb off the window ledge but Harry shook his head.

"Leave her to cool off for a while, trust me. Now let's go and clean your face up, although you've got a long way to go before you're as handsome as me" Harry joked and Nial couldn't help but grin as he pushed Harry's arm, the older man laughing loudly as he stood up "Are you feeling dizzy or sick?"

"No"

"Good, but if you do tell me"

"Okay"

* * *

><p>"I've cleaned Nial up" Harry told Nikki half an hour later as he walked into their bedroom to see Nikki curled up on their bed with her back against the headboard, her legs drawn up to her chest.<p>

"Is he okay?"

"He's fine apart from the bruising, I don't think he'll need a doctor"

"We're doctors"

"I mean a doctor that doesn't cut up dead people" Harry chuckled as he climbed onto the bed next to his fiancé but she didn't even smile at him "Come here" he sighed and wrapped one arm around her shoulders, pulling her into him so she could rest her head on his shoulder. Nikki snuggled closer to him and draped one arm over his stomach, letting out a quiet contented sigh as she did so.

"I just worry about him so much"

"I know you do"

"He's been messed about for so long that I just want to give him stability in his life so he can get on with his life without any fear of being let down again"

"And you said you were going to be a bad mother" Harry chuckled quietly and pressed a kiss to her forehead, seeing her cheeks were damp with the tears she had shed when he hadn't been in the room. "You're not, you're already a brilliant mother"

"I shouted at him though, I _really_ shouted at him especially before you came home" Nikki sniffed and reached up to wipe her eyes before any more tears could fall down her already aching cheeks.

"That doesn't make you a bad mother" Harry replied with another small chuckle, resting his cheek on top of her head as he did so.

"I always promised myself that if I ever had children I'd never shout at them, I'd discipline them yes but I'd do it without shouting"

"Silent treatment?"

"Hmm" Nikki nodded against his shoulder and her grip tightened on the side of his shirt "Does he hate me?"

"Of course he doesn't hate you, he's more worried about you hating him"

"I could never hate him" Nikki told her lover loudly as she pushed away from him and shook her head "He thinks I hate him?" she then asked, her voice trembling at the thought of doing that to the teenager who was practically her own son "What do I do?" she murmured and shook her head as Harry smiled at her.

"You go and talk to him, properly without all the shouting"

"I'm just so angry at him" Nikki shook her head again and Harry nodded, lifting her chin with two of his fingers so she was looking at him.

"I know, but we're not going to get anywhere with sorting this out if all you two do is yell and shout at each other"

"Is he in his room?"

Harry just nodded and Nikki smiled slightly at him, leaning forward to press a soft kiss against his lips before moving away and climbing off the bed.

"I should go back to work" Harry told her as he too climbed off the bed, both of them walking from the bedroom as Nikki nodded at him "I'll tell Leo that you won't be back today"

"My report is on my desk, finished" Nikki reminded Harry as she turned and placed her hands on his shirt clad chest "Can you give it to Leo?"

"I think I can" Harry smirked and Nikki giggled, leaning up to press a kiss to his lips before drawing away in case they got carried away. "I love you"

"I love you"

"Now stay calm" Harry tapped Nikki on the nose and she giggled again and nodded "Keep me informed about what's happening, okay?"

"Okay, I'll see you later"

Harry nodded and stole another quick kiss before dragging himself away from his wife and walking down the stairs to leave Nikki to talk to Nial alone.

The blonde then walked across to Nial's room, knocking hesitantly on the door and then waiting.

"Nial can I come in?"

There was a noise that sounded like consent and Nikki opened the door carefully, poking her head around and then stepping into the room to see Nial curled up on his bed staring out of the window next to him.

"I've come to apologise" Nikki smiled slightly at him as she closed the door and Nial turned to look at her in shock.

"Why? It should be me apologising isn't it?"

"I shouldn't have yelled at you" Nikki shook her head and perched herself on the edge of Nial's bed "Yelling doesn't get you anywhere except in an argument that doesn't solve anything, but you understand why I was so angry?"

"Yes" Nial nodded "And I'm sorry I disappointed you" he murmured and looked away from her guiltily.

"Yes you disappointed me but it isn't the end of the world Nial. I forget sometimes that you haven't been with us for that long and you're still in the mindset that your father gave you" Nikki told him quietly "But I'm still angry that you got suspended for two weeks as well"

"I'm sorry"

"I know"

Nikki was then surprised as she felt Nial move on the bed and then arms wrap around her, the teenager placing his head on her chest. She raised an eyebrow in surprise, her lack of knowledge about teenagers even told her that teenage boys hugging was a rare thing indeed.

"Are you okay now?" she asked him quietly, stroking his long bangs away from his face tenderly as she spoke.

"Hmm"

"We're still taking your laptop and X-Box away from you while we're at work, you can have them when we come back"

"But.."

"No buts Nial" Nikki shook her head as he moved away from her and shook his head as well "These two weeks off are meant as punishment, you're not sitting around having fun. You can do some work while you're here and you can have the laptop and X-Box back in the evening"

Nial thought for a few seconds and then nodded, knowing that it could have been a lot worse.

"Anyway we're not going to be at work all day every day so Harry and I can help you with your work as well"

"Do you hate me?" Nial then asked quietly and Nikki shook her head.

"No, don't be silly Nial" she placed one hand on his cheek and he looked at her with a small frown on his face as she flicked her eyes over his slightly swollen nose and bruised eye. "I could never hate you"

"I thought you'd get rid of me"

"No, we'll never do that" Nikki shook her head and gave him a small smile "We're adopting you aren't we?"

"Yes but.." he trailed off and shrugged "I thought I'd be too much trouble for you both"

"Don't be silly" Nikki chuckled "Harry and I are used to trouble anyway"

Nial couldn't help but smile slightly and nod.

"Do you want me to call the doctor to come and check you over?"

"No thank you, Harry said to tell you if I start feeling sick or dizzy. Are you going back to work?"

"Please do. And no, Harry's already gone back but I want to stay just in case you do get sick or dizzy, I don't want you to be alone"

Nial couldn't help but smile when he heard that and Nikki stood up from the bed.

"Don't go to sleep just yet, not after the head trauma"

"Can I come and watch tv then?" Nial asked hopefully and Nikki chuckled, nodding slightly.

"Go on then, make the most of it because from tomorrow you're rationed for two weeks"

Nikki didn't think she had ever seen the teenager move as quickly as he did then to get out of the room so he had as much viewing time as possible before he was grounded for the two weeks.


End file.
